With 12 months left on his contract, the centre-back was warned by Los Blancos manager Jose Mourinho that he could either look for pastures new or “end his sporting career” by stayed at Santiago Bernabeu.

Fellow defenders Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Raul Albiol and even the youngster Raphael Varane are all now ahead of the 34-year-old in the pecking order, and Mourinho as urged Carvalho to make a decision on his future as soon as possible.

Despite coaching the defender at FC Porto and Chelsea as well as Madrid, Mourinho admitted at a recent press conference: "Ricardo is not part of our plans for the season.

"He has until the end of the transfer window [on Friday] to decide whether he wants to continue to play football or stay at Real Madrid, meeting his contractual obligations like the honourable person he is and basically end his sporting career.